The King of Pirates [Paperback]

Daniel Defoe (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 18, 2008

Soon after the success of his beloved classic Robinson Crusoe in 1719, Defoe wrote this thrilling tale of high-seas adventure. In a firsthand account, colorful rogue Captain Avery pens a letter of defense against scandalous accusations. In doing so, he draws a rousing portrait of pirate life — deadly deeds, plundered treasure, and a perilous journey to Madagascar. 

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Hesperus Press, as suggested by their Latin motto, Et remotissima prope, is dedicated to bringing near what is far—far both in space and time. Works by illustrious authors, often unjustly neglected or simply little known in the English–speaking world, are made accessible through a completely fresh editorial approach or new translations. Through these short classic works, which feature forewords by leading contemporary authors, the modern reader will be introduced to the greatest writers of Europe and America. An elegantly designed series of exceptional books. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

From the Author

'If Defoe can claim the palm as the first of the English novelists, then The King of Pirates can be confirmed as one of the very earliest ‘adventure novels' in the language.'- From the Foreword by Peter Ackroyd --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications (December 18, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486469158
• ISBN-13: 978-0486469157
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,121,702 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars not defoe, May 2, 2006

By 

DH Dixon "whitespeck" (England) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The King of Pirates (Hesperus Classics) (Paperback)

This book reads as though it was written by or for Captain Avery himself. It reads like a PR job. It has none of the style or character of Defoe. Some will find it fun but it is no good for a Defoe book.

Ironically the excellent American Defoe scholar John Robert Moore attributed the book A General History of the Pyrates to Defoe, but later scholars dismissed this on the grounds that its style did not resemble that of the King of Pirates! The style of A General History of the Pyrates (Volume One at least) seems definitely Defoe's and that is the book to recommend to Defoe fans.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Defoe and the Pirates, June 5, 2009

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Micromegas (Ada, OK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The King of Pirates (Paperback)

I think the previous reviews miss the point of this book, and indeed, the crucial context of 18th century travel writing. Defoe was a master of dramatic narrative, and this book, though perhaps "dull" by modern standards, is a fascinating dramatization of one of the most infamous English pirates, Captain Avery. The book is not a novel at all, nor is it a work of fiction per se; rather, Defoe writes two "letters" supposedly written by Avery himself, defending his crimes and trying to dispel the myth spun out by numerous writers (ironically, people like Defoe himself!).

Yet what Defoe does with Avery is remarkable, since he is using a real pirate to advance a very personal argument: the pirate as a nationalist agent of empire, striking blows against foreign commerce to enrich the coffers of England. While this is not at all true from what little we know of Avery, Defoe mythologizes him much in the way that other pirates, notably William Dampier, tried to cast their own piracies in a nationalist light. The voice Defoe creates in the narrative is very unique and believable, as Avery narrates what led him to raid the Great Khan's treasure ship, abduct (but not rape or harm!) his daughter, and eventually settle in Madagascar over a quasi-pirate empire. Though a great deal of time is spent making the narrative seem believable (which can be slow--descriptions of battles, sailing from here to there), Defoe never forgets he is creating a fictional persona, and gives us numerous scenes that let us study Avery as a thinking, plotting individual. The scenes with the Great Khan's daughter are particularly interesting, as are Avery's attempts to steal away from his crew and return to England.

This is unmistakably a work by Defoe, very much in the vein of his longer, and somewhat less interesting Captain Singleton, and even his more popular work, Robinson Crusoe. Defoe makes the characters and situations come to life, and is careful to shape his narrative to follow specific artistic demands. In other words, it's not simply a story of Avery's life. To see the difference, read Captain Johnson's "A General History of the Most Notorious Pirates," which is sometimes attributed to Defoe; the style is bland, unimaginative, and utterly disinterested in the pirates as people. If you can remind yourself when this was written and what Defoe's aims might have been, you have a good chance of enjoying this colorful, concise work. Very appreciative of Dover for reprinting it!

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Self-preservation being the supreme law of nature, March 30, 2006

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Luc REYNAERT (Beernem, Belgium) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The King of Pirates (Hesperus Classics) (Paperback)

This book has very few substance. It relates superficially and coldly the wanderings, victories and booty of the king of pirates, Captain Avery ('good nature ... though I never had much.')
As a loose enumeration of unconnected events, it has absolutely not the same standard as Defoe's masterpieces (Robinson Crusoe, Moll Flanders).

Not recommended.